Can a common and low cost medication prevent cancer from spreading? Researchers claim that aspirin, known for its properties to combat pain and blood, can also help reduce the spread of certain cancers, and they have now discovered the mechanism behind its effect.
Metastases, or the propagation of cancer cells from their original tumor to distant organs, are responsible for around 90% of cancer deaths in the world. Previous studies have shown that the daily taking of low -dose aspirin could reduce the spread of breast, intestine and prostate cancers. However, the exact mechanism by which the drug could prevent metastases was not known.
In the latest study published in the journal NatureResearchers have discovered that aspirin work against cancer propagates by stimulating the immune system, an observation that they made by chance while studying the process of metastases.
Researchers know that when cancer cells stand out from a tumor and spread to other parts of the body, the immune system, in particular T cells, can recognize and attack them more effectively than while cells remain in the tumor.
In previous research, they have identified a specific gene in mice, Arhgef1, which plays a key role in cancer metastases. This gene produces a protein that weakens T cells, which facilitates the spread of cancer.
To explore potential treatments, they studied how Arhgef1 is activated and discovered that it is triggered by the thromboxan A2 (TXA2), a molecule involved in blood coagulation. This has led researchers to recognize the potential role of aspirin, as it is already known to reduce the production of TXA2, the reason why the drug is used to prevent blood clots, heart attacks and strokes.
“It was an Eureka moment when we found the TXA2 was the molecular signal which activates this suppressive effect on T cells. said.
“Aspirin, or other drugs that could target this path, have the potential to be less expensive than antibody therapies, and therefore more accessible worldwide,” added Dr. Yang.
(Tagstotranslate) The propagation of cancer